Folding ironing board



Oct. 29, 1957 F. B. OLSEN 2,810,972

FOLDING IRONING BOARD Filed May 19, 1955 Fig./

Florence B. Olsen INVENTOR.

United States Patent 9 FOLDING IRONING BOARD Florence B. Olsen, Deadwood, S. Dak.

Application May 19, 1955, Serial No. 509,540

2 Claims. (Cl. 38-117) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in ironing boards adapted for ironing thereon by a person seated at one side of the board.

An important object of the invention is to provide foldable legs adjacent the ends of the board to leave the central portion thereof unobstructed to accommodate the knees of a person while seated at one side of the board.

Another object is to construct one end of the board with a base on which the board may be up-ended to support the board in an upright folded position, when not in use.

A further object is to provide a folding brace for one of the legs and constructing both the leg and the brace with transverse base bars to prevent tipping of the board.

An additional object is to provide a folding ironing board of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purpose for which the same is intended.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the ironing board in erected position;

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the ironing board folded;

Figures 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views taken respectively on the lines 33 and 4-4 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of leg construction.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates the ironing board top having the usual narrow front end 6. A pair of rear legs 7 and 8 are pivoted to the underside of the board adjacent the rear portion thereof by conventional hinge structures 9 and the legs are braced by cross bars 10 and 11 for folding as a unit against the underside of the board.

A front leg 12 is pivoted at its upper end on a transverse pin 13 carried by a channel bracket 14 which is formed with attaching flanges 15 secured to the underside of the board. One end of the channel is closed by a web 16 having a notch 17 at its free edge portion to receive a bolt and thumb nut 18 carried by the leg 12 for securing the leg rigidly to the web of the bracket in a downwardly extended open position under the board.

A flared socket 19 has an open narrow end 20 to receive the front leg 12 and to substantially the central portion of which the socket is suitably secured and a brace 21 is pivoted at its upper end in the flared lower end of the socket by a transverse pin 22. The brace exa modified folding 2,810,972 1C6 Patented Oct. 29, 1957 tends downwardly and bears against the sloping front wall 23 of the socket to maintain the brace in a forwardly inclined position. Transversely extending base bars 24 and 25 are secured to the lower ends of leg 12 and brace 21 respectively to prevent tipping of the board.

An end board 26 is secured in a transverse position at the underside of the rear end of the board 5 and projects downwardly from the later flush with the rear transverse edge of board 5 to form a base on which the board 5 rests when up-ended to support the folded board in an upright position when not in use. Brace webs 27 and 28 are secured to the inner surface of the end board 26 and to the underside of the board 5 adjacent the outside of the rear legs 7 and 8.

A pivoted catch 29 is attached to the lower edge of end board 26 to engage a fastener 30 on the uppermost cross bar 10 of the rear legs to lock the latter in an open position.

The front and rear legs are spaced from each other, when in downwardly extended open position, sufiicient to leave the central portion at the underside of the board 5 unobstructed to accommodate the knees of a person seated in an ironing position at one side of the board 5.

The rear legs 7 and 8 are folded upwardly against the underside of board 5 and the front leg 12 is then folded upwardly against the rear legs and the brace 21 folded against the front leg. The folded board may then rest on the end base board 26 to support the folded board in an upstanding position, as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 5 illustrates a modified front leg construction in which the leg is shown at 31 and pivoted at its upper end to the bracket 14 in the same manner as heretofore dsecribed and the lower end of leg 31 is connected to.

a longitudinally extending base board 32 by a hinge structure 33 for folding the board 32 upwardly in confronting relation to one side of the leg. A brace web 34 is attached edgewise to the lower portion of leg 31 opposite from the hinge by an attaching flange 35 and the lower edge of web 34 is formed with a flange 36 having one or more notches 37 in the free edge thereof to receive headed fasteners 38 on the upper surface of base board 32 lock the latter at right angles to the leg.

Transverse base bars 39 and 40 are secured to the respective ends of the base board 32 to prevent tipping of the ironing board.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An ironing board comprising a top board, a pair of rear legs hinged to the bottom of said top board for folding upwardly against said top board and unfolding into vertical position, an upper cross bar connecting said rear legs for folding and unfolding in unison, a transverse board on the bottom of said top board depending therefrom for engaging said cross bar to limit unfolding of said legs, catch means on the transverse board and cross bar for holding said rear legs unfolded, a single front leg pivotally mounted on the bottom of the top board for folding upwardly and unfolding into vertical position, a foldable floor engaging brace on said front leg unfoldable into diagonal position relative thereto, and cross bars on the lower ends of said single leg and brace engageable with the floor to prevent tipping of the board sidewise.

2. Anirbningboard according to claim 1, and a flaring bracket onsaid front leg in which said fioorangaging brace is pivoted for folding, and unfolding, said bracket limiting unfolding f said floor engaging brace.

i kierencipsl fiitjedlin;tlie. fila of; r atnf: UNIT D'S A PATENIS.

4 a A Kendrick Dec. 23, 18,73 Schenk May =4',---1886 Mills Apr. 30, 1895 Rupert Mar. 30, 1897 Marvin Mar. 4, 1913 Reed Nov. 23, 1920 Toth Apr. 20, 1954 Healy Aug. 10, 1954 Sutherland ,;Oct. 25, 1955 

